The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-03-30
VAAI'S Mill, HISS.
TIE DEsF PRECINCT In YAL0-
BUSHA COUNTY.
A Great Deal OF Public Land to be
Taken Up Yet at Cheap
Rates.

IsPEoSLL ooRRKsPeEDnEoH OF ZEE ArrSALl
CorrKEvILLE, MISS, March 20 This
precinct, comprising the southwestern
part Of Supervisors District No. 8, con-
tains about $4,000 acres. The largest
land owner in II is Mr.. J. 0 VanD,
whose tract contains between 1000 and
5000 acres, q great part Of which is ex-
ceedingly fertile, although fer that
matter, there are great many produc-
tive and fertile farms in the precinct.
The county is divided into five Super
visor's Districts, as follows: About
one fitth OF the county is taken % near
the center as may be, and called Dis
tric. No. /; the northeast then be-
comes District No. 2; the northwest,
District No. 3; the south west, District
No. 4, and the southeast, District No.
8. All thess districts are made as
nearly equal as p; acticabls, having due
regard bolh to area and the number
Of inhabitants. District No. 8, then,
we zee, is situated in the southeastern
part Of the county. There are only
two election precincts in II namely:
the Air Mount and the Vann's Mill.
The two precincts are divided from
each other by the old Ohoctaw and
Chiokssaw boundary line, which
passes through the district
rom northwest to southeast,
the southwestern half being
yann's Mil Precinct, and the north
eastern the Air Mount Precinct. The
2S. 900 acres OF Vann's Mill Precinct
are about equally divided into low
lands and highlands, the extreme
southern part containing many rugged
and reaipitious hills, which are rich
in iron ore. The river Scoona flows
hom east 10 west through the precinct
and much valuable land lies on either
side in "Scoona Bottom" The land
along the river, which IL subject 70
periodical oveih)ws, is about mile in
width and is technically known as the
"swsmp" l. abounds In thick
growth Of hickory, beech, oak aud cy-
press trees, many Of them Of gigantic
proportions. II 10 the home OF innu.
merable lquirrele, deer and turkey,
and is one Of the finest ranges for hogs
tbs world affords. Some years thou.
sands OF these last mentioned animals
raise in this place and become immen-
sely fat, inS the autumn, on the
hickory nut, scaly bark and beech mast
without being fed q grain OF corn.
The vast crop of acorDs lie ON the
ground until the following spring,
when they 10 turn are eaten by
the hogs and keep them
fat until vegetation springs up. In
this precinct, on the south side OF the
river, Young's creek, Vann's creek
and Clark's creek, never failing
streams, water tho country. Besides
these several smaller streams, called
branches in our Southern vernacular,
h)w into the river from the south
side. On the north Corners creek,
York creek and several smaller
streams how into the river. The
United States still owns a few thousand
acres Of land in this precinct, onsist-
ing now mainly Of rugged hills and
deep holl0ws, for most OF the best
lands have been taken up. These
government lands are covered with
hne timber trees, both white oak and
pine, and some day will be valuable
for that timber. II can be entered ST
q cost Of about $40 psr quarter section
can be bought outright for 81 rs per
acre. These hill lands are very free and
produce large crops for many yeaIs
after being opened, but being steep,
unless carefully guarded, they eventu-
ally wash into deep gullies. The level
lands are, as yet, much too cheap for
US to advise any one to settle on and
clear these hills. These woods abound
with gray and fox squirrels, and fur
nish a Rne range for cattle and hogs.
Some deer are still to be found among
the hills, and in the balmy MORNINGS
OF April and May the "gobble" OF the
wild turkey can be frequently heard.
Young's nall, on Young's creeks, does
q aourishing business. aud most ex-
eellent meal from, 1t is frequently for
sale on the markets Of Ooffeeville. In
addition to running the mill, Mr..
Young has, OF late years, been en-
gagged in the mercantile business, and
country store near the mill supplies
such things rs the neighborhood
needs. Ga Vann's creek ia Vann's
sawmill, grist mill and cotton gin-all
run by water power. Here ia
the only postcflice in the pre-
cinct. A country store and black.
smith shop also add greatly to the con-
Venience Of the place and the sur
rounding country. Vann's mill pond
iB worth going many miles to see to
one who has never seen 1t. II Is very
large, covering an area ( no less than
eighty acres. It's waters are OF clear
blue, and 10 many places thirty fee,
deep. On the east, west and south II
is bounded by high hills, and these
come close together on the north,
leavingA narrow SPACE, across which
the dam ia built. BY raising this dam
higher, the power gained would be
enormous. 1t is undoubtedly one OF
the best locations for a large cotton
factory in the Southern States. This
lake, or pond, is full OF i3h OF the
finest varieties. Trout OF tremendous
size are frequently caught. Mr.. Vann
does not keep the fishing as private
properly; anyone is perfectly welcome
to catch aud carry away rs many as.he
pleases or can.
There are four churches in this pre-
slnct, via: Midway, Clear Spring,
Pine Grove and Dividing Ridge. The
so,ored people also have several
churches.
There are seven free public schools
in the precinct, four Of them for the
education OF the white children and
three for the colored. AS this precinc.
is thinly settled, all these schools are
small, the greatest average Of the
largest being only thirty or thirty.five
pupils in daily attendance.
Lands are very cheap, ranging from
ii to $40 PER acre, according to loca-
ton and improvement. Much of the
cleared land lies idle every year, and
from = desire to use as much Of 1t as
possible, the farmers are strongly
tempted to over crop themselves, and
the result is that they do not make a.
much as II they had planted less and
cultivated II better.
The people are hospitable, free
hearted and liberal; are good neigh
bors, Industrious and quiet in their
manners, and fully up to the average
In intelligence and education.